Time
by septasonicxx
Summary: Did Harry have to die for Hermione to realise she was in love with him? Alternate ending for the battle. You could say it's a bit AU.


Hermione couldn't hear a thing. She knew Ron was trying to talk to her as he was pulling on her arm, but she couldn't hear a word he was saying and didn't want to move. It was all her fault.

Harry lay on the ground, not breathing and his heart no longer beating. Voldemort had killed him in the blink of an eye, choosing not to talk any more and catching them all off guard. Usually he liked to explain everything he was going to do in detail, but this once he had cut off his talking early to shout the spell and Harry had fallen.

It was as simple as that, but Hermione should have seen it coming. She had seen the glint in Voldemort's eyes as he came to the end of the explaining he had done right before saying the words and she should have _known_ he was planning something different.

She should have jumped in front and taken the blow herself, because what use was she to the wizarding world? Harry was the one who was able to defeat Voldemort – not her, or Ron, or anyone else.

Without Harry they were all doomed.

Slowly lifting her eyes from Harry's body, she met her gaze with Voldemort, still managing to withstand the pulling Ron was doing on her arm. Sound slowly returned to her and she heard Voldemort laughing.

Blinking, she realised she was crying. Two tears slid down her cheeks and she trembled, beginning to raise her hand. Putting her wand into her pocket, she heard Ron give a shout of surprise before she pushed him roughly away and ran to the side, disappearing behind a corner.

"Looks like you're on your own." She heard Voldemort say.

Gasping, she reached up to her neck and clutched at the thin chain that was there, pulling it out to reveal the Time Turner. With shaking fingers, she managed to turn it back just enough and then she closed her eyes tightly, realising in a moment of horror that she was in love with Harry. She had never known until that moment. Was his death really the only thing that could make her find out?

Pushing away from the wall and opening her eyes, she listened carefully to what was being said to make sure that she timed everything just right. She could hear Voldemort and Harry talking and her heart leapt at the fact that he was alive again.

And she planned on keeping it that way.

Voldemort began his speech, keeping Harry silent as he spoke the words slowly and dramatically. Hermione could hardly breathe as she waited for the words she knew he would say right before shouting the killing curse.

Too soon, they were leaving his mouth. Hermione didn't even give herself time to think as she darted around the corner out into plain view, only being aware that she was right on time because just as she ran in front of Harry a bolt of green light hit her in the chest and she gasped, slipping to the floor as the life ran out of her.

Harry stumbled backwards in disbelief, watching Hermione crumple before him before turning his head to see her also standing behind him, eyes wide.

Then Harry lifted his arm and shouted the curse himself.

Voldemort was caught off guard, also shocked to see a second Hermione appear, seemingly, out of nowhere, and the curse hit him.

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood silently for a moment as they allowed the knowledge that the fight was finally over to sink in. Then Hermione and Ron moved forward to stand beside Harry, looking down at the lifeless form on the ground.

"A lot of surprising things have happened in the past few years," Hermione said quietly. "But this one has got to be the most surprising."

"You died for me." Harry whispered in shock. "I don't know how, but you did."

"Come on," Hermione said gently, taking Harry's arm and leading him away from the two dead bodies. "We need to see who else survived."

Taking one last glance behind her at her own body, she saw the Time Turner trailing on the ground and smiled slightly. Time, even since her early years in Hogwarts, had always seemed to be on her side.


End file.
